Bethlehem in Gozo
Today being the 3rd Advent, we don’t want to leave out a post about Yuletide in Gozo. To get into the mood for celebrations can be a bit of a challenge for visitors – or residents – from the northern parts of Europe. Almost the entire past week has been sunny, with puffy clouds dotting blue skies… All establishments, including of course the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, do a wonderful job of creating the appropriate atmosphere, but even I have difficulties to reconcile the festive decorations with the spring-like weather; even after having lived here for 25 years, I just cannot get used to it! Thankfully it is getting a little cooler though, and in the evenings it’s downright chilly, to be honest. But a white Christmas will remain a dream… (For those of you who prefer facts to subjectivity: daytime temperatures at the moment hover around 16-18°C, while the minimum at night tumbles to 12°C)
Christmas is a very important celebration in Malta and Gozo, with the vast majority of inhabitants being Roman Catholic. However, even here the material side of things is undeniable – with pre-Christmas shoppers fighting for parking spaces in Victoria. But balancing the shopping mall crowd madness, is a beautiful initiative by one village, Ghajnsielem, where for the second year a nativity village has been brought to life by countless volunteers: Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem.
The “village” is built mainly from wood, in the fields overlooked by the parish church of Ghajnsielem. Getting there is easy; one entrance is found near the church, while another is located on the main road leading down to Mgarr Harbour (right opposite the roundabout where one road leads to Fort Chambray).
Even if you are not a Christian, you will be enchanted by the display of local village life as it once was. Blacksmiths, bakers, and carpenters can be seen working in their traditional ways, and fresh fruit and vegetables, alongside other local produce, are sold on a little market.
Children in particular will be charmed by the large number of live animals such as horses, donkeys, calves, goats, ducks…
Obviously, the nativity scene is the main attraction, and I loved the way the star of Bethlehem was recreated with a strong light shining out of the stables’ roof, instead of the other way round. The effect is just the same: the light leads you there!
Inside the stables, of course, you find the Holy Family, a real family, including the youngest actor in this awesome live spectacle, Baby Jesus!
The village can be visited daily until January 3, but it is animated only on weekends and public holidays. For more information and opening hours, visit the website dedicated to Bethlehem f’Ghajnsielem.
